


The beginning of the end

by Pearlislove



Series: A rare love story [5]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Injury, Time War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 09:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13656051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlislove/pseuds/Pearlislove
Summary: Josie felt like giving up. She felt like lying down on the ground and never rising again. Then, suddenly, Josie could hear a groaning, wheezing noise, much like the one the TARDIS used to make, and she stood up, she felt her heart soring in her chest.Appearing at the horizon, is a red doubbledecker buss.





	The beginning of the end

**Author's Note:**

> We're heading into the Time War! Now it's going to be very emotional, but I promise there will be some nice parts of light fluff, too.
> 
> I know I am jumping straight into this, but we'll slowly be building up everything aroudn it as we go along.

The Doctor touched something attached to their shirt, a little pin in the form of a panda with a red bow around its neck. He let his hand rest on the pin for a few seconds, and the  he sighed in relief.

 

“We’re going to survive. It’s going to be okay...” The Doctor whispered, leaning heavily against Josie’s side as their powers failed them. They were exhausted and had emptied all the energy they possessed trying to keep themselves and Josie alive over the next few days.

 

“Alright? How are we going to be alright in the middle of a battlefield?!” Josie shouted, quickly pulling The Doctor down behind a larger boulder as another explosion went off nearby. The Doctor was injured, and Josie was spent, the both of them stuck in an active battlefield without any means of escape.

.

 

Josie felt like giving up. She felt like lying down on the ground and never rising again. Then, suddenly, Josie could hear a groaning, wheezing noise, much like the one the TARDIS used to make, and she stood up, she felt her heart soring in her chest.

 

But instead of a TARDIS materialising, there was a huge red double decker bus appearing. From seemingly nowhere, the bus came riding straight across the battlefield, finally doing a sharp left turn and parking with the door right before Josie’s feet.

 

As Josie watched it in amazement at the miracle that stood before her, the doors pulled open, and a voice spoke.

 

“You better get on, lovelies. This darling won’t stay for long.” Sitting in the driver's seat was a short, blonde haired lady dressed in the most outrageous clothes Josie had ever seen. To top off the multi coloured, patterned outfit, she had a giant hat perched on top of her head, leaning only slightly to the right in the most fashionable way. Her eyes, as blue as the Earth’s sky, was filled with sorrow and dread as she watched her new passagers stumble onboard. Josie felt like she was having her heart ripped out as their eyes suddenly met, because she could tell that there had once been joy and laughter in those eyes, a sort of undying mirth that the Time War now had washed away.

 

The woman sitting before Josie looked as broken as Josie felt inside, and not for the first time Josie wondered what might have happened if she hadn’t agreed to come with The Doctor to participate in the war.

 

“Do get on. I’d prefer if we could leave as soon as possible, it’d be better for us all. You are coming with us, aren't you?” A male voice spoke from somewhere inside the bus as Josie neglected to move. He sounded impatient, and Josie realized how long she’d been staring at the driver.

 

With some effort, she got The Doctor standing. They were barely conscious and Josie struggled to organize their limbs as well as her own so that she could get them onboard, but the frightfully pale colour on her partners face motivated her to make it work. The Doctor was slipping away, and then sooner they got aboard, the sooner they could get help.

 

Finally, Josie managed to succeed with her goal. At long last, she had both herself and The Doctor standing next to the first row of passenger's seats, the blonde woman observing them intently as she pulled a lever and closed the door behind them.

 

“Are they alright sweetie?” She asked, nodding towards The Doctor, and Josie hated herself as she shook her head.

 

“They were injured. It’s not very bad, I think, but it’s tiring them out, and it needs to be taken care of eventually.” She smiled apologetically, the pain in her heart only increasing as she saw the darkness lurking in the pair of heaven’s blue eyes deepening.

 

“Alright. Off we are, then. Come on poppet.” Starting up the bus once more, the woman turned to look behind her. “Nyssa, this one’s for you sweetie! Help them be comfortable on the old darling, will you?” She turned back to focus on her driving, but continued to speak yet. “I’ll let you hear it if you harm The Doctor!”

 

As the Time Lady set the buss moving - surprisingly smooth, compared to a TARDIS take off - Josie began to stumble towards the back of the bus, dragging The Doctor along with her. In the last row, a brown haired woman was waiting for them impatiently. Her hands were gripping on tight to the seat in front of her, and she appeared almost restless as she stood up, following Josie and The Doctor’s progress from the front of the vehicle as she waited for them to reach her.

 

“Doctor!” As soon as they came close, ‘Nyssa’ threw herself out into the alley, grabbing onto The Doctor as well and helping to navigate them to the joint seats at the very back. With an extra pair of arms, it was easier to move The Doctor, and finally they managed to carefully lay them down upon the seats. At this point, they were as entirely unconscious, and the brunette began to check their vitals and body functions to look for serious issues or injuries.

 

“Do you need any assistance, Nyssa?” The male voice that had spoke earlier talked once more, and to Josie’s big surprise, she located the source of the voice to belong to a slightly larger than normal toy Panda sitting on a seat in the corner. As he noticed Josie looking at him, he looked up at her as well. “Don’t worry, Iris will have this old junk pile back in Arcadia in no time.” He assured, and though nothing changed on his stuffed face, she could almost imagine him smiling kindly at her.

 

“I don’t need help, Panda. I just got to undress them and disinfect the wound before they develop a fever. I wouldn’t want to worry the President and Lord Braxiatel by bringing them back in worse shape than they already are.” Nyssa quickly replied back to Panda, and remembering that she was there, Josie looked between the two, before sighing desperately, letting her legs give up underneath her and allow her to sink to the floor.

 

“Can someone please, _please_ explain who all of you are?!” Josie felt exasperated, tired and emptied of just about every emotion she could feel. She was sitting on a red double decker bus in a battlefield with two unfamiliar women and a talking Panda.

 

While the brunette, Nyssa, pointedly ignored her, the Panda sitting beside her coughed awkwardly. “Oh, well...you’re on ambulance, I suppose you could say.” The Panda looked at her, and she had a clear feeling he’d be frowning if he could. “I’m Panda, our terrific paramedic currently keeping an eye on The Doctor is Nyssa of Traken, and the driver is my friend, Iris Wildthyme. Time Lady and transtemporal adventurer by her own words.The Bus is hers as well.” He explained, gesturing to each one of them in order.

 

It wasn't much he told, but what little there was made Josie all the wiser. If the driver was a Time Lady, then it explained The Doctor stating that they were going to be safe. Naturally, he had known her since before and used the panda pin to call for the other time traveller.

 

It also explained the fact that the buss was a red double decker, because obviously it had, much like their own TARDIS, gotten stuck in the shape of something stupidly mundane.

 

“I used to travel with The Doctor. Several regenerations ago, by the looks of it.” Nyssa’s voice was cold, almost callous, and Josie immediately felt as though she had done something wrong as the woman glared at her. “Can you talk me through how he sustained this injury?” The younger woman was currently investigating the mildly bleeding gash along The Doctor’s ribs, and though her voice was even, her face showed concern.

 

“Them” Josie corrected absentmindedly. “And they were skimmed by a laser, I think we concluded. Bleed too little for a normal weapon. Didn’t see the attacker, though. It was a large battlefield and there was shooting all around.” Josie sigh, leaning against a chair. Though she was not about to say it, it had been a close thing, with Josie only barely having the time to push The Doctor to the ground before a second laser beam could hit the back of his head.

 

“Them. Sorry. They were a man when I travelled with them, so I’m used to strict male pronouns. Neutral ones made them uncomfortable, I remember. Made them think they were not passing enough for anyone to tell if they were male or female.” Pouring a clear liquid onto a piece of cotton, Nyssa pressed it against The Doctor’s wound, and Josie could only guess it was some sort of alcohol as it extracted a low groan from her semi-conscious partner.

 

“Careful, Josie…” The Doctor mumbled, their hand moving around before finally landing on top of Nyssa’s. Feeling their touch, the girl pulled back almost instinctively. Protectively, she cradled the hand against her chest, acting almost as though she’d been burned.

 

“I’m here Doctor. I’m not the one taking care of you.” Carefully, Josie moved closer to The Doctor, taking their hand in hers instead as Nyssa looked at the two of them fearfully.

 

“They’re not lucid. Don’t listen to them.” Nyssa snapped, her facade back in place within the minute as she continued to bandage The Doctor’s wound. Finally done, she threw the lid down on her box of medical supplies. “There, they're done. Got some painkillers to stuff them with, but until then, they are all yours, _miss assistent._ ” Nyssa glared at Josie, and she swallowed harshly, but said nothing. The woman before her didn’t give any hint of what she was feeling, but Josie was slowly starting to understand anyway.

 

She remembered the way she felt when she met Ace and Tegan, and even if Nyssa wasn't   _jealous_ of Josie - which she couldn’t say that she wasn’t - Josie could only imagine how hard it felt to not only face The Doctor after such a long time, but also The Doctor’s new companion. And under such pressuring circumstances, too. Josie couldn’t imagine doing it, and mentally applaud Nyssa for her strength.

 

“Thanks, Nyssa” Josie whispered to Nyssa as she began to move towards the front of the bus. Nonetheless, Nyssa once more gave Josie the cold shoulder, and this time she _knew_ there was something going on beneath the surface.

 

“I do wonder what’s happened to Nyssa. She’s not chatty, exactly, but this behaviour seems weird, even for her.” Panda commented slowly, watching Nyssa sink into a seat about three rows in front of them.

 

“I think it’s me.” Josie sighed. “I think...meeting another companion. Someone who is where she used to be. Right by his side.” She squeezed The Doctor’s hand, and wondered of there was anything she could do to make it better. “It’s hard.”

 

Panda coughed awkwardly once more.  “Ah, yes, that is very unfortunate. I can’t say I wouldn’t be a bit miffer, if Iris got another stuffed toy while I was away.” The small Panda shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and not for the first time she wondered if she really should have let The Doctor bring her along with him into this war.

 

“I’ll go talk to her” Slowly, Josie rose off the floor. Her legs shook and she stumbled ever so slightly, trying to get the blood flow back in the painfully stiff limbs. After all she’d been through that day, she didn't feel like standing up, and most of all she wanted to sit back down again, but her consciousness wouldn’t let her.

 

She could see Nyssa’s head sticking up ahead of her, and she felt guilty for putting her in such a position as she had. Not that it was her fault, per se, seeing that she hadn’t even known Nyssa exhausted, but still. Nonetheless, she soldiered on, stumbling her way over to the seats where Nyssa was sat.

 

“Hey” She speak, and immediately regret it. It sounds stupid and weak and her stomach twist into knots as Nyssa turns towards her, her cheeks overflowing with tears.

 

“What do you want with me?!” Furiously trying to dry her tears, Nyssa stare at Josie with accusing eyes. “I didn’t want this! I didn’t ask to be here!” She sobs desperately, and Josie doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry herself because she understand, she truly does.

 

In the end, she simply lands heavily on the seat beside Nyssa, turning towards her and trying to show that she was listening and understanding even though she didn’t have the words to convey it.

 

“I never asked to be a nurse traveling on a TARDIS with a talking stuffed panda and an alcoholic Time Lady, pretending I actually know something about Gallifreyan anatomy, because no one else bloody cares about the casualties in this war!” Sobbing, Nyssa put her head against the window and tried to shield it from view. Obviously, she was not used to sharing her emotions with others, and it hurt Josie to think how long Nyssa’d been hiding the onslaught of emotion she was currently showing.

  


Tentatively, Josie reached out and touched Nyssa’s shoulder. “You’re not alone.” She said, squeezing the bare flesh that was exposed by a ter in the leather jacket she dressed in. “Me and The Doctor care. Iris…” She glanced up at the passenger's seat, the blonde Time Lady still guiding them through the vortex. “Iris care. Dear god forgive me but I truly believe, even Ohila, The High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn, _care_.” it felt like blasmephy to say it because in the five minutes she had spent with Ohila, Josie had quickly realized if there was anything she didn’t do, it was care, but on the other hand she wanted to stop Gallifrey from being destroyed as much as the next person.

 

Still, her promise seemed to do little to comfort Nyssa. Her eyes remained shiny with tears and the occasional hiccuping sob escaped her lips as she stared into the dark void outside the window. First when Josie began to move her hand, thinking she  might like some more space, did Nyssa turn towards her. “How long have you been traveling with The Doctor?” She asked, and the question was as sudden as it was surprising.

 

“Four years. Why?” Josie replies, locking eyes with Nyssa and focusing on her gaze in an effort to avoid having her look away. “Why do you ask?”

 

Nyssa keeps looking at her, and as they stare at each other something akin to strength seemed to build up inside her small body. “I only got three.” She says, before quickly continuing. “I never regretted leaving The Doctor, but there was never a day I didn’t miss him. He tried to be my father when there was no one else left who could take care of me, and he saved me from the extinction of my own people.” Her voice is trembling and without think Josie wraps her second arm around Nyssa, pulling her closer.

 

“I didn’t know that.” She said softly. “The Doctor doesn’t like to talk about his past.”  She continued, saying nothing as Nyssa cuddled closer to her. Deep, dark smudges rested under Nyssa’s eyes, and Josie can tell that she is exhausted.

 

“He wasn’t meant to meet me again. We parted ways and it’s a fixed point, because otherwise everyone in the space ship where he left me would die, and humans would never start a trading project with the Blathereen.” She pauses, close her eyes and let the tears silently stream down her cheeks. “The Time War has torn everything apart, and taken everything from me, but it gave me one thing back. The Doctor.” Her eyes open again, and Josie can see a sliver if fear in them as she look up at her. “That is if you’ll let me? I love him, Josie. Not the way you do, I am certain, but I do. I can't just...stay away” She looked away, and Josie felt her heart aching for her.

 

Her head falls back against Josie’s chest, her eyes fluttering closed, and Josie smile. “I understand. It’s fine.” She says mildly combing her fingers through Nyssa’s thick curls. “I wouldn’t keep you away from him. As long as you don’t call me mom we’re fine”

 

Nyssa smiled. “Thanks.” She mumbled sleepily, soon snoring away against Josie’s side.

 

There was something almost peaceful over the hole scenario, Josie thought. A woman who had seemingly been hating her so far was bow sleeping next to her, burying her head against the other woman's chest. Slowly, she closed her eyes as well, taking the opportunity to rest while she could. She’s just about to fall asleep for real, too, when the bus start shaking.

 

“IRIS!” Suddenly absolutely awake, Nyssa screamed as she held onto Josie, who, in turn, clinged on to the seat.

 

“You’ll have to hold on, lovies! The Vortex is upset and it is taking it out on the poor darling.” Though she had their back faced to them, Josie could see her patting at the plastic board in front of her. “There, there Poppet, it will be just fine.”

 

As soon as she’d said it, another tremor passed through the ship, and this time Josie couldn't hold on as the both her and Nyssa were thrown down upon the floor.

 

“I’m sorry” Terrified, Nyssa tried to scramble off of Josie and move to the side in order to allow Josie to try and sit up.

 

Relieved to have the weight of the other girl off her chest, Josie sighed, allowing her to stay upon the floor for a few second in order to gather her strength. She had been completely exhausted already when she got on the bus, and the emotional strain of the last few hours had certainly not helped.

 

“Doctor!”

 

Hearing Nyssa scream, Josie was up on her feet and stumbling backwards through the bus within seconds. As the bus kept rocking back and forth, it was hard to keep balance, but Josie was motivated. At the back, Nyssa was kneeling on the floor next to The Doctor, who had falling off the seat where he’d been resting.

 

“Is he alright?” Kneeling next to him, too, Josie's fingers automatically moved to his neck so she could measure his pulse. Thankfully, she could feel the strong drumming of a double beat, and she breathed in relief.

 

“I suggest you get him back up on the seat. Might have to hold him in place though.” Panda commented dryly, almost flying off his own seat as a particularly violent tremor passed through the bus. “Hold on to something yourself, too. Iris, can’t you steer a bit better?” He shouted upfront.

 

As Nyssa and Josie helped lift the still unconscious Doctor back up on the seat, they waited for Iris to reply to Panda. Even after only a few hours in the woman’s company, she had learned she was not a quiet or shy person who held herself back when she had something to say.

 

Minutes passed, however, and nothing happened. The Doctor was put in place and wrapped in a blanket, his two companions settling on the floor to be able to catch him if he started to fall off. Everything went back to some sense of peaceful normality, except that the bus kept rocking and Iris remained quite. It was a constricting, suffocating silence that followed as Iris did not speak.

 

“Iris?” Finally, Nyssa asked for the Time Lady, trying to hide how her voice trembled when she spoke. There’s a layer of fear and expectation in the air as they wait, trembling, for a reply.

 

A more nasty shaking hits the old bus, and this time it is Panda who speaks instead. “Iris is everything alright up there?” He asked, and even Josie could tell he was scared.

 

“HOLD ON!” The scream was sudden, desperately tearing out of her throat filled with raw emotion, and Josie barely had time process its meaning as she saw Iris flinging her arms up to shield her face, Josie’s own body leaving the floor as the bus did a 360° flip.

 

Flying across the open space above the seats was a surreal experience. It felt so slow, almost as those she was moving slow motion, and all around her she was aware of everyone else being thrown around as well. Not having time to grab onto anything soldi, Gravity took over and they were all thrown through the air like rag dolls, helplessly flapping about as they screamed in fear and anguish.

 

Passing by Nyssa’s slow motion moving body, Josie got to look into her eyes. In the younger woman’s eyes, she saw the anguish and pained terror of someone who knew just how likely it was for her life to soon be over. In that moment, Josie saw her own emotions reflected in someone else’s eyes.

 

Aa terrifying as it was, it seemed as though Josie’s journey was destined to end with her crashing against the glass of the big front window. Moving straight ahead, it was becoming increasingly likely, but before she could get there, the bus did one last trick. A 180 degree flip caused Josie’s body to make a sharp detour in between a few nearby seats, and everything fades to black as she feel pain spreading from her head down her body.

 

If its death or mere unconsciousness that is claiming her, she don't know, and in the last moment of conscious though, she decides that she doesn't care either.

 

* * *

 

 

Staring at one of the many pieces having come loose from the vehicle wreckage only a few meters away, Leela tried to get rid of the tears threatening in her eyes. It wasn’t becoming for a warrior of the Sevateem to cry, but the sight that lay before her had crushed her heart and turned her gut inside out.

 

A red double decker bus, having violently popped out of the Vortex and crash landed among the abandoned warehouse areas at the edge of Arcadia. When Romana had heard of it - and seeing how unusual it was, she’d found out very quickly - she had hand picked Leela to go look at it. A medical team was to come along and be at her disposal, but she was to lead the operation.

 

She was to determine, if there was any survivors.

 

Taking a hitching breath, Leela took one step further towards a wreckage, stopping abruptly and backing again as she found an item resting underneath her boot.

 

A Sonic Screwdriver, broken into three an reduced to little more than scrape ass it, like everything else, had been tossed about and destroyed in the crash. It would have been beyond recognition, had Leela not  been so familiar with it.

 

Leela knew she had only seen such an item once before, and as she looked up at the wreckage before her, a scream tore from her throat. “Doctor!”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos & comments, please! Comments are what drives me to write this!


End file.
